Use Repair to replace a copy of Windows XP?

[André Terpstra]

Hello:

I am trying to find out the following. A client of mine has a working
Windows XP computer with a bunch of software installed, but with the wrong
license. I suspect it may be an illegal volume license key. I want to
replace that by a legal XP copy which I already bought, but without doing a
clean (re)install.

To achieve this, I was pointed to a repair installation by different
sources. I now refer to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341. After some
experimentation, I found that the upgrade option (method 1) is not allowed
in this case, so I selected "New installation" on the Welcome to Windows
Setup page (this looks equivalent to method 2). I am testing it on another
machine, and it looks OK so far, however, I wasn't allowed to login until I
activated... I'll now have to reactivate it later on the target machine, but
that's a minor problem. Also, I had to reinstall some drivers including mass
storage (RAID) drivers.

Does anyone have experience with this method? Does it really leave all
software and settings untouched? Of course I will make an image backup on
the client's computer, but some reassurance before would be helpful.

Andre.

 

[Nepatsfan]

Before you try the repair installation route you might want to
look at this MS article:

http://tinyurl.com/5xczr

You can also change the CD key using this program:

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

When you run the program, look under Options for Change CD key.

Nepatsfan

 

[Michael Stevens]

Hello:

I am trying to find out the following. A client of mine has a working
Windows XP computer with a bunch of software installed, but with the
wrong license. I suspect it may be an illegal volume license key. I
want to replace that by a legal XP copy which I already bought, but
without doing a clean (re)install.

To achieve this, I was pointed to a repair installation by different
sources. I now refer to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341. After
some experimentation, I found that the upgrade option (method 1) is
not allowed in this case, so I selected "New installation" on the
Welcome to Windows Setup page (this looks equivalent to method 2). I
am testing it on another machine, and it looks OK so far, however, I
wasn't allowed to login until I activated... I'll now have to
reactivate it later on the target machine, but that's a minor
problem. Also, I had to reinstall some drivers including mass storage
(RAID) drivers.
Does anyone have experience with this method? Does it really leave all
software and settings untouched? Of course I will make an image
backup on the client's computer, but some reassurance before would be
helpful.
Andre.

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
I need to change my XP Product KEY
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#need2
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[André Terpstra]

Nepatsfan, Michael,

Both of you thanks for your quick reply. There are 2 points I want to make:
1. Not only do I want to change the product key, I also want to replace all
Windows XP files. The system has been installed with XP + SP1, I believe,
and I now want to upgrade it to SP2. Also, if it indeeed was a Volume
License version, there might be subtle differences with a standard license
version.
2. It is new hardware and as such entitled to a Windows XP OEM version. I'm
not sure whether changing the Product Key only willl work for an OEM key.
And yes, I know, the OEM version should have been preinstalled, but it
wasn't for some reason.

 

[Michael Stevens]

Nepatsfan, Michael,

Both of you thanks for your quick reply. There are 2 points I want to
make: 1. Not only do I want to change the product key, I also want to
replace all Windows XP files. The system has been installed with XP +
SP1, I believe, and I now want to upgrade it to SP2. Also, if it
indeeed was a Volume License version, there might be subtle
differences with a standard license version.
2. It is new hardware and as such entitled to a Windows XP OEM
version. I'm not sure whether changing the Product Key only willl
work for an OEM key. And yes, I know, the OEM version should have
been preinstalled, but it wasn't for some reason.

You can only do a clean install with the OEM XP version. Upgrading is not an
option.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[André Terpstra]

Michael:

I disagree. As I wrote in my first posting, I have already tested it and
probably since it's not an upgrade but a new installation, there were no
complaints. Interestingly, there was no partition formatting involved and
installed software was preserved, so the word "new installation" is somewhat
misleading.

However, I may be attempting something which was not intended by Microsoft
to be possible?

 

[Geoffw]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341.
After

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
I need to change my XP Product KEY
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#need2

Michal

a quick confirmation here please,

I have an image setup that was generated from an OEM disk
(plus all applications etc), will this key changer allow me
to use other OEM keys and over ride the original OEM key
that was used to make the image ? and allow the end user to
proceed to activation with the new key.

Or does the utility only work with activated OS

thanks

Geoff

 

[Michael Stevens]

Michal

a quick confirmation here please,

I have an image setup that was generated from an OEM disk
(plus all applications etc), will this key changer allow me
to use other OEM keys and over ride the original OEM key
that was used to make the image ? and allow the end user to
proceed to activation with the new key.

Or does the utility only work with activated OS

thanks

Geoff

It should work to change the key.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Geoffw]

thank you I will now make the effort and give it a try, if
it works a ghost image and change will be far more
convenient to me then sysprep and unattended installs and
all that other stuff. All my machines are basically the same

Geoff

It should work to change the key.

thank you I will now make the effort and give it a try, if
it works a ghost image and change will be far more
convenient to me then sysprep and unattended installs and
all that other stuff. All my machines are basically the same

Geoff